Untitled

[arsinoé]

MY IMAGE(S):
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Critiques/upload_spool/05-17-2002/8322_sceneAtelier.jpg


GENERAL INFORMATION:
Title: Untitled
Year Created: 2002
Medium: Oil
Surface: Canvas
Dimension: 50cmx70cm
Allow digital alterations?: Yes!

MY COMMENTS:
This is my first oil painting nearly finished (and my first picture posting! ). It has been started during a painting class and finished at home. The subject was to paint a part of an artist workshop, with colours inspired from a master's work. I chose Morandi, but I feel that I'm quite far from the original palette now.

MY QUESTIONS FOR THE GROUP:
I'd like to rework the blue teapot, so that it stands as the main focalpoint. Apart from that, do I need to do something else so that it seems completed?

[henrik]

Well, as you say, this is not finished, and you do need to work on the pot as it is now to vague and actually receeding. There is also something odd about the spout's shape.

I searched for images of Morandi's work, and found several different styles of vases; some very dark, others light, some very stylistic etc. Could you give us a hint of the particular style you are trying to make this look like - that would help direct the critique.

(In case you don't know how to find images - go to google, search for Morandi, then click on "Images" - that is at least what I do).

[arsinoé]

Thanks Henrik for your answer.
That 's true that the spout's shape needs reworking.
Actually, I'm not trying to reproduce one of Morandi's pot. I was trying to draw this one from a real one which was in the workshop. And I'd like it to be quite realistic. Morandi was just a palette help for the beginning of the painting.
As I compare the painting and the picture, I'm afraid that my digital camera shot does not give an accurate account of the details in the darker areas.
Maybe the point where I feel I most need help is the light. Does it feel ok or are they areas to be darkened/lightened?
I'd wish to keep this strong light area at the upper right but I'm not sure about the objects around the pot.

[henrik]

Oh, I understood that you where not making a copy - but since you mentioned another artist as influence, I thought that you were trying to acheive the look of this artist. I found several that where much darker and more "sinister" looking, and others that where brigher, warmer and more cheerful. Hence my question. Which direction would you want to take this?

[arsinoé]

Ok, I've been on google and I'd rather take the cheerful direction.
I've attached an image.

[henrik]

ok, what strikes you as being different from your work?

The thing I noticed first is the juiceness of the strokes and even if shapes are simple they have interesting structure. Yours in comparison are flatter with smooth gradation of value - sort of a watercolor look.

However, that may not be what you where after - as you said - the project was about using a master's colors. Which you have acheived I think.

If you want to have a go at it - try painting with a big brush - try stepping a way frequently as you paint - looking at the painting close up makes you get too detailed - it looks ok 1-2 feet away but not across the room.

Is this helpful at all?

[kjsspot]

I enjoy this composition very much. If you're looking to make the blue vase more realistic, other than bring correction to the spout, you'll want to work in more range of value. It need a lot more shadow and a few bright highlights to bring some more shape to the form.

In the composition, I'm distracted by the... piece of wood? that angles from midpoint to the upper right corner. I don't have a suggestion for it yet, but it bothers me. Perhaps a horizontal line of some sort would work better. I'm uncertain. You may want to play with this a bit and see what you can come up with..

I thoroughly enjoy the play of form and line on the right side. I think when you're done this will be a really great piece.

[arsinoé]

Thanks Henrik for your hints about how achieving a Morandi look. Yes, that helps a lot. I'll also think over the flatness of my painting.

Thanks Kjsspot for your encouragements and critique.The piece of wood was a white easel foot. I'll think over that.

I'll try to continue this work with all this in mind :)

[kjsspot]

Arsinoé, one thing to keep in mind is that as an artist, when we are working from either a photograph or life, our job is not to include everything exactly as it just because it is. Our job is to create a pleasing composition. In other words, if something weakens our painting, it would be better to leave it out than to include it just because it's there. Our photos or setups should be references only. Otherwise we could just be satisfied with the photo and not paint.

[arsinoé]

kjsspot,
yes, I totally agree with that painter philosophy, and my aim is not to exactly reproduce something. In fact, this precise scene never existed, and was brought together from different sketches I did in the preparatory phases of the project. It's pure composition, and the easel foot was put there because this area of the painting is empty without that, and it sort of guides the eye away from this area toward the teapot and other things. And as it is white, it does not take undue importance with respect to the other objects.
Well that was the idea.
Now, some people at my art course think it nice like that.
But since you told me it bothers you, I kept wondering whether it was good or not.
I think I'll make some modifications on the digital image to see whether it is better with or without.

[kjsspot]

Ah. I understand. I thought perhaps you painted it because it was there. <g> Playing around with the composition on the computer is a great thing to do. But in the end, go with what YOU like. =) You are right though, that area does need something. However, I think you'll come up with a better idea when you play in photoshop. =)

BTW, I'm up against a similar issue with one of my paintings. Not the angle leading the eye off, but putting something in the upper right corner. LoL Not sure what yet. <g>

[arsinoé]

Yes, an empty area is often quite problematic ;)
Yet, sometime, you cannot put too many things in a painting. Some texture play could be an answer, but I don't know if I'm mastering that technique well enough now.

[Bellydanser]

Great discussion of the work. My two cents would concern the color issue of the pot vs the background. I agree that the pot is receding in the painting. The cool blue coloration against the warmth of the rest of the piece pushes it away. Even though the post is blue it could benefit from some warm tones (perhaps reflections from it's surroundings) and the background could perhaps be given a cooler wash or greyed tones to push it back and even out the contrast. The upper left corner of the overall piece contains the vast majority of the light in the piece and has the least amount of interest.

[arsinoé]

Thanks for the contribution, Bellydanser.
Reflections of warm tones on the teapot seems a great idea.
As regards the light, someone told me that I could add some reflections on the bottle to bring some light in the darker area. A cooler wash in the background goes in the same direction, I think. I could combine both.

[Paul J.S., FCM]

If the teapot is to be the focal area, then it should have the greatest range of values and the sharpest detail. If you can look at the setup again, try holding your eye steady on the pot, and become aware how things go out of focus around it.
A highlight on the pot, if there is one, should be the brightest, lightest spot and the most opaque.
You can soften the focus on peripheral objects by making the values of the colors on either side of their edges about equal.
Squint at the painting, or look at it through dark sunglasses, and you'll be able to judge the values better.

[arsinoé]

Hello Paul, thanks for the advice.
I'll try the eyes trick. That's seems interesting, and easy to implement.